It is a crisp and clean winter day in Idaho’s Boulder Mountains, and the swish of Nordic skis whispers through the lodgepole pines around Senate Creek. In twos and threes, with hearts pounding, cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and backcountry skiers halt their exertions to enter a rustic but welcoming backwoods home. They drop their backpacks and stomp the snow from their boots, and enter the warmth of Galena Lodge (208/726-4010).

Beneath the massive beams of the lodge’s great room, fresh-faced lodge workers maneuver between thick wooden tables strewn with hats and gloves. Twin fireplaces with exposed rock mantles dominate the far end of the lodge, and the aroma of homemade bread and hearty soup mixes with the smell of the hearth. In a back corner, oversized couches create a fireside nook where a few people lounge with newspapers, books, and knitting. There are no cell phones ringing, no flat-screen televisions hanging on the wall.

The kitchen door swings open as the smiling and energetic Erin Zell — who, with husband (and chef) Don Shepler, has run the lodge for the last three years — delivers a bountiful lunch to a group of skiers taking a breather. The plate fairly overflows with thinly sliced salami and prosciutto, grilled bread points, sliced apples, a generous heap of tomato chutney, savory hummus, and a pile of olives, all surrounded by hearty slabs of havarti and manchego cheese. Erin receives gratified smiles and asks about the day’s ski conditions.

At the bar, a group of snowshoers kicks back with glasses of merlot from the local Frenchman’s Gulch winery, and a few freshly poured glasses of ’Round the Bend pale ale. The unassuming Don steps from the kitchen to survey the room, stopping to chat with the group. They’re regulars, asking about the menu for this month’s Full Moon Dinner, which they booked months ago. It’s during these special nights that Don’s talent really shines: After a late-afternoon ski or snowshoe hike, as the pink alpenglow from the Boulder and Sawtooth mountains reflects the full moon, red-faced diners in Nordic gear sit down to a gourmet feast.

First, there’s a velvety potato–leek soup drizzled with parsley oil, followed by an entrée of grilled Idaho ruby red trout and roasted Idaho delicata squash on a bed of soft rainbow chard, and whole-grain pilaf with spelt and wild rice. Chef Don tops off his fresh fish with a lemon–caper beurre blanc and a sprinkle of Idaho pommes frites. Every ingredient, whenever possible, is sourced locally and prepared on the premises. “We make our stocks, salad dressings, sauces, and baked goods, and we incorporate as much Idaho product as possible,” says Don.

A dessert of rich chocolate and chile pot au crème with a caramel tuile and fresh raspberries follows the meal. As the clinking of spoons ceases, a few hardy souls gear up for another go on the trails through the quiet of the Sawtooth National Forest.

The rest linger by the fire, enjoying the warmth.

The lodge is located 24 miles north of Ketchum on Highway 75, and is open daily from 9 to 5, as long as the snow holds out. Galena also offers yurt rentals, guided snowshoe tours, ski lessons, and a full-service cross-country ski and rental shop for purchasing trail passes and obtaining rental gear for Nordic skiing, skate skiing, and snowshoeing.